Orbost, VIC - St James Anglican
Year Built: 1927
Denomination: Anglican
Saint: James
Address: 34 Browning Street, Orbost, Victoria, 3888
Architect: Unknown
Traditional Owners: Gunaikurnai people
Last Updated: 30/08/2022
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History and Architecture:
With the parsonage all but complete, another important meeting of the Board of Guardians was held on June 9th, 1891. The business of the meeting was to discuss the advisability of building a Church. As usual, matters moved quickly for, on June 15th, 1891, plans for a building "for Church purposes" were submitted. Mr. Power was asked to draw up specifications in accordance with the following recommendations: Nave —36' x 21', Chancel — 13' x 12', Porch — 6' x 8', Walls — 14' high with a door at the back of the Church. The Chancel was to be lined, the windows were to have Gothic heads and the floor was to be of pine. Tenders were to be called for both hardwood and softwood weatherboards. Mr. Street offered to cut the blocks for the building and Mr. Cameron offered to cart them.
The Church was dedicated on March 6th 1892 by the Right Reverend Goe Lord Bishop of Melbourne.
By 1926 a new church replaced the old. It was designed by Messrs. Gawler and Drummond of Queen Street, Melbourne, and is of semi-Gothic and Norman style.It occupies the site originally held by the Rectory. The main body of the building lies east-west, with the tower at an angle to overlook the town. Built of reinforced concrete, it has a rough caste surface with smooth facings in a darker shade of grey. The roof is high pitched with grey cement tiles. The nave is 56' long and 29' wide giving accommodation for 250 people. It is spanned by four mas-sive principles of yellow stringy bark, built in a cross-wise manner, the wood cut at the Brodribb sawmill, then owned by Mr. H. Hughes.
The Baptistry is located at the western end of the nave. The Tower, Norman in style, is 9' square and 40' high, topped with four minarets and a flagpole. The tower also acts as a belfry in which a fine bell, first heard on the day of the Dedication.
A Foundation stone reads, " St James Memorial church To the Glory of God - In Remembrance of of those who served and suffered during the Great War. 1914 - 1919 A.D. This stone was laid The Right Revd G.H. Cranswick D.D. Bishop of Gippsland 1st October 1927. Rector The Rev J.B. Montgomerie".
Clergy:
This list may not contain every serving cleric, past or present, for this church.
Further submissions welcomed.
| Years | Name | Annotation | D.o.B | D.o.D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 - 1890 | Mr Robert Martin | 1924 | ||
| 1891 - 1893 | Rev D. Ross Hewton | |||
| 1893 - | Rev Alfred Brain | 1862 | 1944 | |
| 1893 - 1894 | Rev L Abramovitch | |||
| 1895 - 1898 | Rev J. T. Beglin | |||
| 1898 - 1900 | Rev T. D. Reynolds | |||
| 1900 - 1901 | Rev W. D. Kennedy | |||
| 1901 - | Rev E. E. Tanner | |||
| 1902 - 1905 | Rev A. L. Kent | |||
| 1905 - 1911 | Rev P. J. Bazeley | |||
| 1911 - 1913 | Rev Leonard Maitland Nancarrow | 1881 | 1949 | |
| 1914 - 1918 | Rev Melchior George Opper | 1884 | 1959 | |
| 1918 - 1922 | Rev Arthur Rufus Raymond | 1857 | 1932 | |
| 1922 - 1926 | Rev Walter Gilbert Backhouse | 1890 | 1975 | |
| 1926 - 1932 | Rev John Bruce Montgomerie | 1893 | 1961 | |
| 1932 - 1935 | Rev Karl Egbert Hamilton | 1883 | 1958 | |
| 1935 - 1941 | Rev J. D. Sansom | |||
| 1941 - 1947 | Rev Frederick William Hipkin | 1901 | 1987 | |
| 1947 - 1951 | Rev M. F. Green | |||
| 1951 - 1955 | Rev Charles Dewar Haughton Pilkington | 1908 | 1978 | |
| 1956 - 1962 | Rev Thomas William Hewlett | 1900 | 1979 | |
| 1962 - 1971 | Rev William Leathbridge | 1985 | ||
| 1972 - 1974 | Rev A. T. Huggins | |||
| 1974 - 1975 | Rev J. J. St Clair | |||
| 1975 - | Rev Joseph Maria Verspaandonk | |||
| 1979 - | Rev S. S.J. Collings | |||
| 2022 - | Rev Bevil Lunson |
Organ:
No information currently available. Submissions welcomed.
Source:
1. Cable Clerical Index.
2. The Memorial Church of St James Orbost A History. LH 283.9456 MAC. Jennifer A. McLennan